


Fool's Gold

by Akaiba



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Amnesia, False Memories, He and Gold were a thing, He fell over the town line and thinks he loves Gold, Killian was taken with the first curse, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-12
Updated: 2014-11-11
Packaged: 2018-01-19 03:38:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1454020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akaiba/pseuds/Akaiba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Killian and Rumple were in love during the curse and when it broke, they couldn’t reconcile their fake memories with their real ones. Killian gets knocked over the town line and suddenly Rumple has the man he loved for 28 years back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elsian](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elsian/gifts).



> Elsian has to stop talking to me about Goldenhook because these things keep happening. I could write 10,000words of drabbles just on our ideas for these two.
> 
> My tumblr: http://akaiba.tumblr.com/

"It’s our anniversary next week." Killian remarks off hand, paying absent attention to a documentary about the Mary Celeste that Rumple isn’t even pretending to be watching.

"Hm?" He grunts, pulled from his thoughts as he looks over at the man sprawled lazily over his- their- couch. Rumple shifts in his seat, sits straighter and tries to look less like… like anything Killian might remember less favourably. "We are not married."

Killian scoffs. “No, I think I’d remember that, Martin.” Rumple flinches at the mention of memories and shoves down the ‘you have no idea what you remember’, thankful that Killian is angled towards the television. “But when we met, come on, you can’t have forgotten that. Sort of memorable.” He turns this time and looks at Rumple, propped back against the arm of the couch and he looks so calm. So utterly content with right where he is, comfortable in Rumple’s- their- home like he has no place he would rather be. And he doesn’t. Not that he knows of.

"When we first met?" Rumple repeats softly, newly returned memories washing over him and he remembers the cold bite of a pirate’s suave greed. He remembers the horror that he would have to tell his son that his mother would never be coming home, the fear that maybe he wouldn’t be if this pirate decided to kill him. Rumple remembers the shame that has clung to him his entire life keeping him on his knees in front of this man. This man that would never looked at Rumple the way he is right now; all soft teasing eyes and a quirked, warm smile. It’s offered so freely and happily and… and none of it is Rumple’s but he’s still taking it. "I…" He has to think harder to remember the fabricated memories, remember collecting the rent money at the bar and barely pausing at the bar itself before a man with too much cologne in far too much eyeliner and leather slid in beside him. "I remember someone thinking he could match me for drink."

Killian grins broad, shining like the sun he’s so free and untainted like this. Even the lies of hardship his false memories carry let him smile like that at Rumple and were the Dark One to have a conscience it would hurt at this. Rumple pretends there isn’t something twisting and writhing at the back of his mind. “It got you to take me home, didn’t it, love?”

Rumple shakes his head, unable to stop the half smile because the rush of fondness is very real even if the memory is not. “And you threw up in my hallway as thanks.”

"And like a true gentleman, you didn’t let me sleep in it." Killian teases back.

"I’ll never know why." Rumple responds easily. It’s warm and so unlike anything Rumple has ever known, this easy banter that forms a fraction of the whole reason why he can’t give Killian the memory potion that’s burning a whole in his suit jacket pocket. He can deal with the glares from the others in town, can handle their judging and their disgust- what would they know? Killian’s happy right now. He wouldn’t be if Rumple gave him the potion.

"I know why." Killian isn’t watching the television at all now. He’s turned onto his side, one arm propping his head up and the other tracing over the fabric of the couch, expression playful.

"Oh, do you know, dearie?" Rumple swallows hard, because when Killian looks like that he tends to kiss Rumple.

Killian’s smirk widens and he stands like a cat stretching upright, all lithe strength and promise as he steps barefoot across the room and leans either hand on the arms of Rumple’s armchair, face so close Rumple can taste his heat in the back of his throat. The Dark One craves these kisses, these sweet lies he steals away and clings to even as they burn him with their wrongness. Hook would never smile at him like this, never kiss him like he needs the contact more than air, never look at him so openly with such adoration. It aches with how wrong it is, with how much Rumple knows it is a lie and how much he tries to shove that knowledge away and just be selfish. “Because you love me.” The younger man breathes, teeth flashing bright and smug as he leans in.

Rumple goes very still, letting Killian kiss him with just parted lips like he’s scared to breathe and shatter this illusion. Killian makes a complaining noise, hands tugging through Rumple’s hair, and then Rumple moves. His hands pull at the younger man; cup Killian’s jaw, tug at his shirt, span his neck and feel his throat work as Rumple kisses him like he’ll never get to do it again.

He very well might not.

When they break apart Killian’s eyes are sparkling with smug triumph, like he’s won a game they were playing that Rumple wasn’t privy to, but his lips are bruised red and slick as his breathing comes faster. He looks well on his way to being utterly debauched and Rumple’s hands twitch to give in, to keep him, just one more kiss, one more night, forever…

"I think we need a drink." Rumple says softly, lips brushing against Killian’s jaw. The prickle of his stubble makes Rumple’s resolve shake, his mind whispering that if he does this it will be the last time he feels that, the last time he has Killian in his arms. Killian raises an eyebrow and Rumple adds, "To celebrate."

"I said next week, Martin." Killian rolls his eyes.

"Then lets start early." Rumple shrugs, guiding Killian to let him up and heading into the kitchen.

"Mhm, a week long celebration, huh? I like the way you think." Killian calls from where he has taken up Rumple’s vacated seat, legs spread obscenely wide and smirking challengingly at the older man not to come back and do exactly as he pleases.

Rumple pours them both rum, because the taste grew on him after twenty eight years and it’s all he has to hand. He takes the potion bottle out of his jacket and looks at it long and hard. He bites his lip and uncorks the bottle.

Killian’s smirk brightens into pleased grin when Rumple walks back in, the dark liquid in the glasses the man carries making him lean up and take the offered one. “Mhm, I might think you were trying to get me drunk and take advantage…”

"I don’t need rum to get you to kiss me anymore." Rumple shrugs, forcing an amused smirk.

"You never did." Killian returns, sappy and sweet and so, so warm it burns Rumple’s chest where he hoards the words away for himself.

Killian’s lips touch the glass and Rumple’s breath catches. His free hand twitches to reach out and stop him, desperation to smack the glass away and keep this warmth, this Killian, this love. Fake or not it’s the best Rumple’s ever had and he wants to keep it. Whatever lies beneath the cowardice, the evil, stays his hand and hopes. He’s a liar if he says he’s not hoping that Killian will still want him even as he knows there is no way.

Killian tips the glass back, closing his eyes for a moment as the dark amber liquid slides past his lips. Rumple’s set his glass down and his hands fist tightly at his sides, tension in every muscle of his body as his lungs freeze and he forgets to breathe.

When Killian’s eyes open the warmth is gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> golden-hook asked  
> Goldenhook / Divorce (set in the AU where 'Fool's Gold' takes place). 
> 
> So a sequel happened. :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this has been on tumblr for ages, forgot to post over here!

Rumple neither hears nor sees Killian for a week after he gave him the memory potion. He’s sitting reading forms that had arrived that morning, reading his and Killian’s names side by side, when the bell to his shop rings and he looks up. 

His mouth twists when he sees the pirate.

"I was beginning to think I’d imagined you entirely, the skill you’ve employed in avoiding me." Rumple says, eyes flicking over the forms again as Killian edges closer. He looks uncomfortable in every fiber of his being at even just breathing the same air as Rumple.

"I see you got the forms then." Killian returns instead, head held high as though he hadn’t a clue what Rumple was referring to. 

"Yes, truly dramatic of you but I appreciate the symmetry at least." Rumple lifted the first page of the form and eyed the date printed there, "On our anniversary, really?" Killian’s mouth twists in a pained little smirk, like it didn’t matter to him at all but Rumple knew that little smirk. He wished he didn’t, but he does. He knows how his husband lies to cover his feelings, hides everything deep where no one can see and carries on as though he’s fine even when he isn’t. Martin would have brought Killian a nice warm cup of tea to help ease him into talking about it. Rumple is delighted to have found a sore spot. The only downside is it’s somewhat of a sore spot for him as well. 

"Nothing says ‘I love you’ quite like ‘piss off and divorce me’." Killian snarks, hook dragging over the glass of one counter and making Rumple twitch at the screech of the metal against the surface. 

"And here I didn’t get you anything…" Rumple feigned a sigh as Killian neared him and tapped the form. 

"Your name right here will do just fine, crocodile." 

"Ever the romantic."

"I try."

Rumple stands and slowly steps around the counter, idly regarding the pirate. “And why, exactly, did you feel the need to come here today? You’ve been avoiding me all week, why now?”

Killian rolls his shoulder in the laziest approximation of a shrug Rumple has ever witnessed. “I had to make sure you’d sign.”

"Mhm, wouldn’t want to be tethered to me any longer than is necessary." Rumple drawls.

"The sooner I can rid myself of this ring, this farce of a marriage then-"

Rumple’s hand flies out and pins Killian’s hook to the counter, gripping Killian’s flesh hand and raising it to their eye level as he presses Killian to the counter. “Except that no one here actually regards the false memories as true. All marriages have been utterly dismissed and no one has even had to ask whether dear David is married to darling Snow or the poor Kathryn- they just know. But you- you feel the need to have it in writing.” Rumple hisses. 

Killian struggles but Rumple has him pinned and the pirate can only seethe at being caught off-guard, still worryingly at ease around the monster he is horrified to know he’s shared a bed with for twenty-eight years. “Let me go, crocodile! Of course I want it in writing, I want the proof that you own no part of me; that you and I are nothing more than bitter enemies!”

"How poetic; do you think anyone cares beyond you and I? Of course that implies that either of us actually care and the divorce papers already bearing your signature implies you very much do. You care that you are bound to me- fake or not- that people think of you as my husband." Rumple’s hissing his bitter words in Killian’s face and he catches the flash of humiliation when Killian’s gaze flicks from Rumple’s eyes to his mouth and back. "Oh… oh you don’t care because of that, you care because you don’t hate it as much as you should."

"Stop spewing your twisted words, crocodile!" 

Rumple presses so close he can feel Killian’s every breath, pressing the pirate back to arch against the counter and watches as Killian turns his face in such blatant submission and fear- fear that Rumple knows. 

"Oh, pirate… you forget I know you. Whether you like it or not."

"No you don’t, it was fake- false memories, false lives. You are no more Martin than I am that wretched-"

Rumple released Killian’s flesh hand to grip the pirate’s jaw hard and hold his head so Rumple can stare straight into his eyes and see every flickering fear and panic. “That… is my husband you are speaking ill of. Kindly refrain.” He snarled.

The fingers scrabbling at his shoulder dig in hard and grip him tight. “I am not your husband.”

"Then why…" Rumple laces their fingers together mockingly as their wedding bands clack together softly. "… are you wearing the ring?" He bites out, almost snatching the air from Killian’s mouth with how close he has them pressed- refusing Killian even the slightest room to even breathe. 

"Why are you?" Killian snaps back. 

Rumple makes a wordless snarl before biting Killians lower lip. Hard enough to make the pirate choke on a gasp and then they’re kissing. It’s brutally aggressive, like everything they have ever done together as pirate and crocodile, but when Rumple presses Killian fully back onto the counter, when they’re fogging the glass and threatening the strength of the counter as Rumple fucks into Killian, their hands stay locked together. Their wedding bands pressed together and their mouths crushed into kiss after kiss that bruises and splits skin. 

Rumple signs the papers after. 

Killian takes them, walking out like he can just pretend as though that never happened. 

He stops on the street and stares down at the signatures on the papers for a long moment. He tears the papers in two and shoves them into the nearest bin. 

Killian tells himself it means nothing; like Rumple said, no one even thinks the false lives have any validity at all. But when Killian next sees Rumple, after no confirmation letter of divorce or cursory court meeting… Killian knows Rumple knows what he did. 

He notices that Rumple is still wearing the wedding ring too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr: akaiba.tumblr.com


End file.
